Energy policy

Gas prices for industrial consumers in Romania will rise by a thumping 24 per cent as of next month, with a sharp impact likely on industry and jobs, experts say.

The move is part of a deregulation schedule agreed with international lenders including the International Monetary Fund, IMF and the World Bank.

BELGRADE - Serbia created a good investment environment, and the field of renewable energy sources is the most attractive for investment, Assistant Energy Minister Dejan Trifunovic said on Wednesday.

Russian energy giant Gazprom has warned that it will stop supplies to Ukraine if it does not pay its debt.

Alexei Miller, its Executive Director, explained Ukraine currently owes USD 1.89 B and assure his company "cannot supply gas for free", he was reported by Businessweek as saying.

Obama presents "conditions for diplomatic solution"

MOSCOW, WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone last night for an hour about the situation in Ukraine.

According to reports, they came to no agreement.

KOPAONIK - The crisis in Ukraine is not affecting the gas price in Serbia, Srbijagas CEO Dusan Bajatovic said on Wednesday, adding that gas reserves are enough for households during this heating season.

BELGRADE - The energy situation in Serbia is stable, and developments in Ukraine are not undermining the security of supply of energy sources, it was concluded at Tuesday's meeting of the working group tasked with monitoring the security of supply of energy and energy sources.

VIENNA - The European Energy Community (EEC) Secretariat has called on Serbia to rectify the identified issues of non-compliance within a time limit of two months since the country did not meet the obligations stipulated in the community's rules on ownership unbundling in the gas market.

BELGRADE - Creating a sustainable and safe energy supply system at affordable prices is among the guidelines of the EU Energy Policy by 2020, which Serbia, as an EU candidate country, should follow, participants of a conference titled "European Energy Policy- Challenges for Serbia within the EU Accession Process" noted on Thursday.